Wuest receives probation, suspended jail sentence

HILLSDALE — The Jonesville woman who admitted to her role in a counterfeiting scheme was placed on probation and received a suspended jail sentence in Hillsdale County District Court Wednesday.

Nicole Mae Wuest, 27, must pay more than $1,500 in fines and restitution at the rate off $100 a month starting in June as part of her sentencing.

Judge Donald Sanderson told Wuest she was receiving a break, but there would be no tolerance for any violation of her probation. Wuest has already served 13 days in jail, but the remaining 17 days will be suspended if she completes the terms of her probation.

"It's clear that you were not completely innocent in this scheme to counterfeit money," Sanderson told Wuest.

She pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of false pretenses more than $200 but less than $1,000 as part of a plea bargain. In exchange for the guilty plea, the more serious charge of one count of possession of counterfeit coins more than five. That charge carried a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Wuest was arrested in April after she used several fake $100 bills to purchase pre-paid debit cards and credit cards from Wal-Mart which were to be sent out of the country to the people who supplied the fake money to her.

Jonesville Police Chief Mike Lance said Wuest received the money after meeting someone on the internet, possibly from Nigeria, who sent her the bills through the mail.

"They were a pretty good replica of the money," Lance said.

After turning the fake bills into cards, Wuest used some of the money for herself and was supposed to send some of the cards back to the supplier. She then received more money from the supplier and passed more counterfeit money.

Employees at Wal-Mart became suspicious of the bills because while they looked authentic, the feel was off, so they contacted police who were able to determine the inauthenticity of the money.

Wuest was cooperative in the investigation according to Lance who said Wuest had more than $2,000 in fake bills. The Secret Service has been contacted about the scheme and is investigating who is behind the scheme and where the plan was conceived.